The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-05-11
GEORGE v. WILLIAMS.
STORY OF HOW A CLERK AT $50 A YEAR,
WAS THE SAFE CUSTODIAN OF
HALF A MILLION,
Gas 1t Was In the Days OF NOah.''

HALF MILLION.
Gas 1t Was In the Days OF Noah.''
Amid the big and legal thieves of this
day of progress" and the smaller
thieves who are punished by the defend
ants of the bigger thieves, it is singular
and shockingly refreshing to read the fol-
lowing t'aeth-seemingly romance, YET
true:
A dispatch published in the News ana
Courier on Saturday last, giving the out;
lines of remarkable story Of financial
talist. excited considerable interest in this
city where the parties to the transaction
are known. The statement, which was
taken from the New Haven, Conn.,, Reg
lister, is as follows:
"At the beginning of the civil war a
wealthy Southern grocer, who had re-
Gently taken his young bookkeeper into
partnership, fearing that his property
would be confscated, decided to 60
North. He told the bookkeeper to use
the property, valued at about S400, 1000, as
he thought best, and that he, the mer-
chant, would rely upon the bookkeeper's 5
honor for settlement at some future
time. The merchant then came North
and settled in New Haven. In 1866,
wondering what had become of his es-
tate in the South, the merchant placed the
matter in the hands Of Judge Morris,
with instructions to investigate and col.
lect if there was anything to collect. AT.
ter some correspondence with the book.
keeper at the South, the latter forwarded
| ol, lodi nf hn n1 nd
inventory, showing his Indebtedness tc
his former employer to be S648, 600, and
expressed his desire to return the proper
ty, but requested time to perfect the ar.
rangement. He began remitting several
years ago and last week forwarded the
last payment, including the interest, thus
wiping out the debt of honor"
The story, as related above, is little
mixed, as all stories arc apt to be wher
they travel far away from home. but the
facts are Enthusiastically true. The
parties are Mr.. George W.. Williams Of
this city, and Mr.. Daniel Hand, now o.
New Haven, Connecticut. Mr.. Williams
entered Mr.. Hand in 1888 at Augusta
Ga, as clerk the grocery business,with 6
$50 year salary. In May, 1912, he be.
came partner in the business, the firm
being known as Hand & Williams. In
!. 1852 the firm removed to Charleston
where it assumed the firm name o.
ing partner. At the breaking out of the
war the business of the firm had attained
large proportions. Mr.. Hand was the
resident partner in New York, conduct
ing the purchases, &C., for the firm. Mr.
Hand was a Union man. He took M
part in politics, but was opposed to thu
Secession movement. He knew enough
of Northern sentiment to assure him tina
any attempt to dissolve the Union woulC
bring on disastrous war. With thi!
conviction, and no longer able to serv'
his house, he retired from business in til,
fall of 1861. He could not, however
withdraw his capital, and when the Sc
yuestration Act was passed, it was il
some peril. 1t was in this emergency
that his partner, Mr.. Williams, came K
his assistance.
1.-THE firm had been dissolved" said Mr.
Williams to reporter who called on hin
yesterday with a view of Investigating
the matter, "but in the meantime therl
had been two cargoes Of coffee imported
to share of the proceeds of which he
Mr.. Hand, was entitled. The war found
Mr.. Hand in the North, and all his mean:
in the South. l made an effort to remi
|
lanta by the vigilance committee, who
money could be sent across the lines tt
aliens. Subsequently, however, this
amount was sent to England and deposit
ed in the Bank of Liverpool. Mr.
Hands assets were next attached by tht
Confederate Governpent. I managed t
get message to kim in Kentucky, tell
ing him that it was necessary for him II
come South. He agreed to do so, and
started South. When 1 next heard o
him he was in prison in New Orleans OF
suspicion Of being a spy. I at once tele
geaphed to the Governor Of Louisiana
explaininy matters and vouching for Mr.
Hands Integrity. I asked that he bo sen
to Richmond, where he could be identi
fled, both by Vice President Stephens ant
Gen. Toombs, both of whom knew him
I then, at cost of about $3.50, 1000 to my
self, rc-established the old firm, reStor
ing him to his copartnership in it. Th'
next time heard of Mr.. Hand he was IL
Augusta in Jail, where he bad been lock
ed up to save him from being mobbed or
suspicion of being a Federal spy. ]
went to Augusta, remained with him ir
iail for twenty-four hours and, finally
after considerable cost and trouble, go
him to Richmond, Va, where he was in.
carcerated for two weeks or more in the
Libby prison, after which procured his
release. Then came tn suit to seques-
trate his property. Col. G. r. Miles was,
T think, the attorney for the Confederate
Government. was advised to get Peti-
CRU and another Union lawyer, but this
refused to do. Col. Henry Buist and the
late Mr.. Porter were retained to repre-
sent Mr.. Hand, and they gained the suit
after three days trial. then sent Mr..
Hand to Asheville, n, c., where he re-
mained until the close OF tho war. OF
course, most of his fortune went into
Confederate securities or currency, and
when the war ended there was very little
of it left. He went North after the cessa-
ton of hostilities with barely enough
money in his pocket to pay his travelling
EXPENSES, and convinced that all his
means had been swallowed up III the
general ruin and wreck that overwhelm-
ed the South. He left his affairs in my
hands to get what i could-if anything
out Of the wreck.
"Well, the years rolled OH and the
South began gradually to recuperate. l
had invested some portion of the funds
of the firm judiciously. When the Bur-
ney crash came in 1879 I visited Mr..
Hand at his home and told him thai felt
bound to make good his losses, as he
was not partner in that concern. There
was no talk of lawyers at all, had my
own time to pay Mr.. Hand his mon
ey, and about Il year a ago made
him the last remittance of the total
amount of his fortune, about $780,
600. That is the story and that is about
all there is of it,"